Fire destroys home at Michael Saunders' family compound

Published: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 1:31 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 5:38 p.m.

But when flames broke out in a small wooden bungalow Thursday morning on the northern tip of Longboat Key, those who were believed to be trapped inside were sure glad he happened to be passing by.

Neighbors could only call him “the mystery man.”

Driving a golf cart as part of what appeared to be some sort of maintenance job, dressed in a bright orange “road crew” vest, the middle-aged man broke down the doors of the kindled cottage to rescue two women and a 6-year-old, including the sister of prominent area real estate maven Michael Saunders.

Before anybody could thank him — or even get his name — the man was gone.

“I thought he was going to blow up,” said Nick Patsios, a pest control worker who witness the fire and rescue. “There was already flames coming out of both sides of the house. He disappeared into the black smoke and came running back out.”

A fire started from what the family believes was an overheated electrical cord Thursday and burnt the cottage to the ground.

The blaze was the second time a home belonging to Saunders' family burnt down within a matter of just blocks.

The real estate broker's sister and the home's owner Joan Bergstrom were inside with her daughter and 6-year-old grandson when the fire began around 9:30 a.m., neighbors and family members say.

By mid-afternoon, the majority of the wood frame had collapsed. Piles of thick, dark ash covered what were once prized belongings. The only noticeable appliance left standing: a stacked washer-dry unit.

“They got out, thank goodness,” Bergstrom's boyfriend, J.R. Guthrie, said as he sorted through the remains. “It's a mess. When you lose everything you have, there's just not much to say.”

Family members were gathered in Sarasota following the wedding of Saunders' son, Drayton, on Friday.

Bergstrom, who spends part of each year in Panama, was supposed to fly back today. That trip was postponed; her passport was torched in the blaze.

The blue cottage was the smallest of a dozen homes in the private neighborhood called “Lands End,” where Bergstrom owns other property.

Guarded by gates that stay locked throughout the day, a narrow brick road winds through a maze of lazy waterfront homes, decorated with palm trees, aloe plants and blue herons searching for a quick meal.

A neighbor called it the most quiet place on earth.

“It's Sleepy Hollow,” said Andy Fetzek, who lives in the community. “We try to keep it that way.”

By the time they had arrived, the home already was engulfed in flames. But the family was out safe, and the mystery rescuer gone.

The fire reportedly broke out in a middle bedroom, where the family had stored some paintings.

Saunders lived in another house within a similar compound just across the creek that also burned down in June 1998.

The compound was originally the site of a marina where Saunders' mother ran a small business.

That fire, started from the pump in a koi pond, has since prompted Saunders to move onto Bird key.

The Longboat Key homes owned by Saunders and her relatives are in the 7200 and 7300 blocks of Gulf of Mexico Drive and on Lands End Drive.

“We're extremely thankful that everyone who was in the home at the time of the fire escaped unharmed,” Saunders said.

“And especially grateful to the LBK fire department for their very rapid and effective response. Thanks to their professionalism, other nearby dwellings were prevented from being damaged or becoming similarly engulfed.”

EARLIER: Just as family members gathered in Sarasota for the wedding of real estate maven Michael Saunders' son, Drayton, one of several homes within the family compound at the north end of Longboat Key caught fire Thursday morning and was destroyed.

Called Lands End, the compound was originally a marina where Michael Saunders' mother ran a small business. The home that burned belonged to Saunders' sister Joan Bergstrom.

Bergstrom, who spends part of each year in Panama, was in Sarasota for the March 15 wedding.

"It happened at 10 this morning," said Saunders spokesman Tom Heatherman. "Michael's sister was in the house that burned. She got out. A fire broke out in a middle bedroom, where she had stored some paintings."

Firefighters responded from both Manatee and Sarasota counties. Once firefighters arrived, Heatherman said, the home was already engulfed in flames.

So their main job was to contain the blaze and prevent it from burning adjacent properties, including the original family home with dock, which the family operated as a small marina when Saunders, nee Michael Mayer, was growing up.

Ironically, Saunders lived in another house within the same compound that burned down a decade ago.

"Michael was in it. It burned down late at night. She had a koi pond and the pump caught fire. The whole house was engulfed," Heatherman said.

After that, the founder of Michael Saunders & Co. moved closer to downtown Sarasota on Bird key.

The home destroyed Thursday was built in the 1950s. It was in the 700 block of Lands End Drive on Longboat Key.

EARLIER: A home at the north end of Longboat Key was destroyed in a fire Thursday morning.

SNN Local News is reporting that three people were inside the home when it caught on fire, but all escaped safely. Firefighters from Manatee and Sarasota counties responded to the blazes at the home, which was built in the 1930s.

The waterfront home was in the 700 block of Lands End Drive at Longboat Court.

<p>Nobody knows who he is or where he came from.</p><p>But when flames broke out in a small wooden bungalow Thursday morning on the northern tip of Longboat Key, those who were believed to be trapped inside were sure glad he happened to be passing by.</p><p>Neighbors could only call him “the mystery man.”</p><p>Driving a golf cart as part of what appeared to be some sort of maintenance job, dressed in a bright orange “road crew” vest, the middle-aged man broke down the doors of the kindled cottage to rescue two women and a 6-year-old, including the sister of prominent area real estate maven Michael Saunders.</p><p>Before anybody could thank him — or even get his name — the man was gone.</p><p>“I thought he was going to blow up,” said Nick Patsios, a pest control worker who witness the fire and rescue. “There was already flames coming out of both sides of the house. He disappeared into the black smoke and came running back out.”</p><p>A fire started from what the family believes was an overheated electrical cord Thursday and burnt the cottage to the ground.</p><p>The blaze was the second time a home belonging to Saunders' family burnt down within a matter of just blocks.</p><p>The real estate broker's sister and the home's owner Joan Bergstrom were inside with her daughter and 6-year-old grandson when the fire began around 9:30 a.m., neighbors and family members say.</p><p>By mid-afternoon, the majority of the wood frame had collapsed. Piles of thick, dark ash covered what were once prized belongings. The only noticeable appliance left standing: a stacked washer-dry unit.</p><p>“They got out, thank goodness,” Bergstrom's boyfriend, J.R. Guthrie, said as he sorted through the remains. “It's a mess. When you lose everything you have, there's just not much to say.”</p><p>Family members were gathered in Sarasota following the wedding of Saunders' son, Drayton, on Friday.</p><p>Bergstrom, who spends part of each year in Panama, was supposed to fly back today. That trip was postponed; her passport was torched in the blaze.</p><p>The blue cottage was the smallest of a dozen homes in the private neighborhood called “Lands End,” where Bergstrom owns other property. </p><p>Guarded by gates that stay locked throughout the day, a narrow brick road winds through a maze of lazy waterfront homes, decorated with palm trees, aloe plants and blue herons searching for a quick meal.</p><p>A neighbor called it the most quiet place on earth.</p><p>“It's Sleepy Hollow,” said Andy Fetzek, who lives in the community. “We try to keep it that way.”</p><p>Firefighters responded from Longboat Key, Manatee and Sarasota counties. </p><p>By the time they had arrived, the home already was engulfed in flames. But the family was out safe, and the mystery rescuer gone.</p><p>The fire reportedly broke out in a middle bedroom, where the family had stored some paintings.</p><p>Saunders lived in another house within a similar compound just across the creek that also burned down in June 1998.</p><p>The compound was originally the site of a marina where Saunders' mother ran a small business.</p><p>That fire, started from the pump in a koi pond, has since prompted Saunders to move onto Bird key.</p><p>The Longboat Key homes owned by Saunders and her relatives are in the 7200 and 7300 blocks of Gulf of Mexico Drive and on Lands End Drive.</p><p>“We're extremely thankful that everyone who was in the home at the time of the fire escaped unharmed,” Saunders said.</p><p>“And especially grateful to the LBK fire department for their very rapid and effective response. Thanks to their professionalism, other nearby dwellings were prevented from being damaged or becoming similarly engulfed.”</p><p>EARLIER: Just as family members gathered in Sarasota for the wedding of real estate maven Michael Saunders' son, Drayton, one of several homes within the family compound at the north end of Longboat Key caught fire Thursday morning and was destroyed.</p><p>Called Lands End, the compound was originally a marina where Michael Saunders' mother ran a small business. The home that burned belonged to Saunders' sister Joan Bergstrom.</p><p>Bergstrom, who spends part of each year in Panama, was in Sarasota for the March 15 wedding.</p><p>"It happened at 10 this morning," said Saunders spokesman Tom Heatherman. "Michael's sister was in the house that burned. She got out. A fire broke out in a middle bedroom, where she had stored some paintings."</p><p>Firefighters responded from both Manatee and Sarasota counties. Once firefighters arrived, Heatherman said, the home was already engulfed in flames. </p><p>So their main job was to contain the blaze and prevent it from burning adjacent properties, including the original family home with dock, which the family operated as a small marina when Saunders, nee Michael Mayer, was growing up.</p><p>Ironically, Saunders lived in another house within the same compound that burned down a decade ago.</p><p>"Michael was in it. It burned down late at night. She had a koi pond and the pump caught fire. The whole house was engulfed," Heatherman said.</p><p>After that, the founder of Michael Saunders & Co. moved closer to downtown Sarasota on Bird key.</p><p>The home destroyed Thursday was built in the 1950s. It was in the 700 block of Lands End Drive on Longboat Key.</p><p>EARLIER: A home at the north end of Longboat Key was destroyed in a fire Thursday morning.</p><p>SNN Local News is reporting that three people were inside the home when it caught on fire, but all escaped safely. Firefighters from Manatee and Sarasota counties responded to the blazes at the home, which was built in the 1930s.</p><p>The waterfront home was in the 700 block of Lands End Drive at Longboat Court.</p><p><i>Check back at HeraldTribune.com for updates on this developing story.</i></p>